Seven Deadly Sins
by petitesorciere
Summary: The Seven Deadly Sins are perfectly embodied by Draco Malfoy, and there can only be trouble ahead when he clashes with the virtuous Hermione Granger.
1. Chapter 1

Seven Deadly Sins Pride and Humility 

Pride is the desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to give compliments to others though they may be deserving of them and excessive love of self. By comparison, Humility is modest behaviour, selflessness, the giving of respect and not unfairly glorifying one's own self.

Draco's upper lip curled in a contemptuous smirk. He could almost smell the fear coming off the younger Gryffindor student in front of him. ''Come on, where's your courage now Gryffindor? Maybe you were sorted into the wrong house.''

The second year looked nervously at the floor. Draco's books were scattered across the floor, a result of his dashing around the corridor and hurtling into the older Slytherin.

''Well why are you waiting squirt, get picking them up!'' Draco's voice grew slightly more menacing and the second year immediately dropped to the floor and began pulling the large textbooks into one big pile. ''Careful with them!'' Draco admonished. ''They're worth a lot more than you!''

The second year reached up, proffering the textbooks, but Draco didn't take them, just watched the small arms begin to shake under the weight of the heavy books. ''He's trembling now!''

Draco's cronies laughed obligingly, just as Harry, Ron and Hermione rounded the corner. Draco's smirk grew wider: what a perfect opportunity!

''Oi, Potter!''

Harry's eyes unwillingly met the cruel, grey eyes of the Slytherin who had consistently tried to make his life hell. ''What, Malfoy?''

''Oh, I just thought you might like to see the future of your House grovelling on the ground beneath me.'' Draco looked contemptuously at the younger boy, who hadn't dared to lower his arms, and whose cheeks were now flushing embarrassed red.

''What the hell are you playing at Malfoy?'' Ron stepped forward and took the textbooks off the second year. ''Have you really sunk so low that you have to pick on people six years younger than you?''

''But you Gryffindors leave yourselves so open to the possibility of being mocked.'' Draco's tone was so patronising that Hermione could see Ron's fists clench almost instinctively. ''This one'', he jabbed a foot mockingly at the second year ''ought to feel honoured to have me picking on him.''

Hermione stepped forward and helped the younger boy to his feet. Smiling sweetly at him, she gestured for him to leave. ''Ignore Malfoy. Haven't you ever been told the story of the amazing bouncing ferret?''

Ron smiled at Hermione, and she blushed slightly. Draco rolled his eyes. ''Let it go Mudblood. The one thing you have to hold over me, and it wasn't even done by you, just some crackpot teacher.''

''Have I touched a nerve there Malfoy?'' All the sweetness that had been in Hermione's voice disappeared and she glared at Draco.

The Slytherin stared coldly back. ''What, in the same way that I touched a nerve when I pointed out that a Gryffindor should think themselves lucky to be allowed to kneel in front of me?'

''You overestimate yourself so much that it's almost funny,'' Hermione's eyes flashed furiously. ''As far as I'm concerned you have nothing to be proud about!''

''And why do I care what a Mudblood says?'' Draco's tone was deliberately patronising, and Hermione smiled pityingly at him.

''Change the record Malfoy. You're a spoiled little brat who needs to grow up, and you've called me that so many times that it has actually lost all meaning.''

With one final, contemptuous glance, she turned her back on Draco and walked away from him. Draco opened his mouth to speak, but realised he had lost his opportunity: she was long gone, and Weasley and Potter were trailing after her as well. Scowling, he walked in the opposite direction, his mind whirring furiously. How dare she imply that he was nothing more than a pampered little boy? Raising his chin proudly, he marched along the corridor. He didn't need to worry what that stupid little bitch thought. He knew he was better than all of that pathetic house put together.

Their paths crossed only hours later. Draco was poking idly at the contents of his cauldron, when he heard Ron's voice drop in pitch slightly. Twisting a little, Draco couldn't help the smirk crossing his face. Weasley was leaning in towards the Mudblood, a slightly nervous smile on his face.

Granger in turn was smiling seraphically at him, her eyes wide. Draco's eyebrows raised momentarily. She wasn't hideous. Far below him, obviously, but not as hideous as he had been assuming. Weasley looked at her and his smile grew wider. ''Do you know what Hermione? Your smile is like Expelliarmus – simple but disarming.''

Draco choked slightly. Had Weasley actually just said that? Honestly? At his age, he had used a chat-up line like that? And yet Granger was actually giggling slightly, pushing gently at his arm and looking up at Weasley with adoring eyes.

Draco turned back to his potion. She must never have been properly flirted with. It was almost a shame she was a Mudblood. She would fall into his hand like a ripe fruit ready for the picking if he flirted with her – she wouldn't be able to resist! If only there was some way…

Well maybe there was. Flirting with Granger would not only piss off Weasley and Potter (show them who was boss for once), but it would put her in her place for once. She would be completely entranced by him, and then he could just drop her. She wouldn't be so quick to be rude to him then.

The class ended and Draco hung back until the Golden Trio had left the classroom. Following surreptitiously after them, he smirked in glee as Harry and Ron left Hermione alone, presumably going to play Quidditch. Draco fought the urge to let out a loud bark of scornful laughter as he saw the soppy look on Weasley's face. This humiliation would be almost too simple, and yet quite diverting.

He padded along the corridor after Hermione. She seemed completely unconcerned by the fact that she was alone (but then why would she be concerned, Draco thought, she's never had to deal with me before).

Hermione was calmly running through the list of things she had to do, who she needed to talk to, when a strong hand clenched around her wrist and sent her spinning backwards. She grimaced slightly and then realised that she was pressed against a corridor wall with a strong body in front of her. Her eyes took in the Slytherin robes without her brain registering it, until her gaze rose and fell on blonde hair and impassive grey eyes.

She immediately tried to pull away from him, only to slam harder against the wall. Draco laughed softly, and Hermione pushed at his chest. ''How dare you? Get off me you freak!''

Any trace of mirth disappeared from Draco's face. ''How dare I? You want to watch your mouth Granger.'' His face came closer to hers, and Hermione couldn't help thinking that it was an extraordinarily handsome face, despite the arrogance that was permanently scrawled across it.

''You appear to be getting close enough to do that for me.''

Hermione's acerbic tone caused a slow smile across Draco's lips. She could feel his hot breath on her cheek now. It almost seemed like an anomaly: he was so cold that he shouldn't have hot breath. He ought to be leaving traces of ice on her skin, not bringing a flush to her cheeks. She turned her face to one side, desperately trying to think of a way out of her predicament.

Draco looked at the creamy neck and bent slightly closer. The skin looked so soft that he had an urge to bite it, to see if it would give way easily. Then he caught movement just out of the corner of his eye. Hermione had been slowly inching her way towards her wand. Grabbing her wrists, he pulled them above her head, his body pressing closely against her.

''Get off me,'' she spat, her eyes fierce. ''I don't know what you're playing at, but I don't want anything to do with you. So get lost, go back to your groupies and carry on lording it over them!''

''But why do that when I could be here lording it over you? You should be pleased you've managed to hold my attention this long.'' Draco's voice was silky smooth and Hermione felt shivers run along her spine.

''You repulse me.'' She raised her chin and looked him straight in the eye. ''I don't know what you think you're doing: attacking me in the corridors and trying to… I don't even know what you're trying to do! Are you meant to be seducing me?''

Draco looked at her, his mouth in an ugly scowl. Then, with a sudden, abrupt movement, his lips were fiercely pressing against hers. Hermione pulled back but wasn't able to move far enough to evade him. He could smell a sweet scent coming off her, and her mouth tasted of mint. She was entirely innocent, Draco realised. Nothing like this would ever have happened to her, and it probably was just actually scaring her rather than seducing her. Ah well, she would like it eventually.

Draco was brought back to reality by a sharp scratch on his wrist. Hermione had managed to manipulate her hands and drag a nail across the tender skin. Wincing slightly, he loosened his grip, letting Hermione spring away from him. He tried to put a hand around her waist, but she tossed it off contemptuously.

''What's wrong with you? Is this your idea of a joke?''

Draco's mouth opened but to his horror, no snappy retort was forthcoming.

''You're absolutely pathetic!'' Hermione glared at him. ''Don't you ever try anything like that again!''

Draco watched as she turned her back yet again and walked away from him. Why hadn't she fallen at his feet? He knew that Weasley was far more sappy but he had never had any complaints about his 'technique' before…He told himself that it didn't matter, that Granger was just a stupid little Mudblood, and yet there was a small part of him that he knew would not be easily silenced; a part that demanded he make Granger want him.

Hermione rounded the corner and checked warily behind her. He wasn't following, thank Merlin. She raised a tentative finger to her lips. They didn't feel any different, but something remarkable, for want of a better word, had certainly occurred. More bizarre than the kiss though, was the urge that she had had to just melt into his cruel embrace…

AN: Well, there's the first chapter, please do leave me a review! Just to let you know, Ron's chat-up line came from the Facebook group 'Harry Potter and the Bad Pick-Up Lines', which is truly legendary (I advise you to check it out lol). Petitesorciere xxx


	2. Chapter 2

**Envy and Kindness**

_Those who commit the sin of envy desire something that someone else has which they perceive themselves as lacking. Meanwhile, those who are kind are charitable, compassionate, friendly and sympathetic and non-prejudiced, acting in this way for its own sake, not for ulterior motives._

Draco smirked at Pansy and watched in appreciation as she smirked back, her eyes slightly narrowed. Turning back to his cauldron, he noted the flurry of movement as a girl swept hurriedly past him with a swish of robes. 

Hermione smoothed her robes down and stared intently at the ingredients lying on her desk. And yet, no matter how much she tried to lose herself in the latest potion recipe, she could feel a magnetic pull compel her; begging her to turn around and meet the dark silver eyes that would be glittering oh-so-wickedly in the dungeon light.

Draco watched her unashamedly while he chopped a root. He could tell that she knew he was watching her. Her shoulders were set determinedly, and the angle of her neck indicated that she was entirely unwilling to turn even one angle towards him. He scowled as Ron moved towards Hermione, reflecting that Weasley was so gangly that he didn't so much walk as lurch.

''Hermione, what do I do here?'' Ron looked imploringly at her.

Draco looked over Ron's shoulder and resisted the urge to laugh out loud. His desk looked as though a bomb had hit it. Hermione obviously had the same thought but instead she just smiled slightly wearily. ''I don't know how you manage to make such a mess Ronald.''

Leaving her own potion bubbling neatly, she moved over to Ron's desk and began restoring order. Draco watched her robes sway around her hips and wondered why she had even considered helping Weasley. As far as he could see, she wasn't getting anything out of it.

Ron looked into his cauldron to see it bubbling away perfectly and grinned in relief. ''I don't know what I'd do without you Hermione.''

It was so sweet it was practically diabetic. Draco wondered if he would vomit as he watched Weasley sling his arm around Hermione's small shoulders. She looked at him with wide eyes and a sweet smile. ''You certainly wouldn't be passing potions, that's for sure.''

''I need you for more than that.''

Hermione blushed and Draco wondered how she had managed to remain so entirely naïve. It would have been touching if it wasn't utterly pathetic. He looked at Pansy who met his glance with a steady gaze that promised him entirely adult pleasures. If he were to look at Hermione, she would blush, falter, and then go straight onto the offensive. Gryffindor girls had nothing on Slytherin girls, Draco reflected. 

Ron smiled even more broadly and looked Hermione straight in the eye. ''I was wondering Hermione…''

Draco finally let a small bark of laughter cross his lips. Ron and Hermione immediately spun in his direction. ''You laughing at anything in particular Ferret?''

Draco looked at Ron who was straightening up and glaring at him. ''Well, I was just wondering why the hell Granger was humouring your pathetic little attempts at chatting her up. Clearly, and quite rightly, she's never been the subject of a true flirtation.''

''And you think you're the right person for that, do you Malfoy? Well, I can assure you, you most certainly aren't!'' Hermione placed a hand on Ron's elbow and turned him back around to his desk, smoothing the situation over.

Draco looked at their heads, bent close together over the desk and knew what he had to do. He had been going to let his idea of flirting with Granger drop given his attempt yesterday and the subsequent humiliation but the pair of them were really just asking for some kind of retribution. Grabbing a handful of lacewings, he hurled them into his cauldron and grinned in satisfaction as he watched his previously perfect potion mutate into something that looked like it had congealed in a gutter in Knockturn Alley.

Just as Ron had worked up the courage to open his mouth to ask Hermione what he had been going to ask her, Slughorn clapped his hands and asked for silence. With a regretful glance, she slid away from him and back into her seat, her heart racing. Was Ron finally going to take the chance that she had been praying that he would? If he could just spit out a simple question then he would find out that he had never had anything to worry about. 

Slughorn began making his rounds of the classroom, examining every potion. When he came to Draco's, he recoiled in horror. ''Dear Merlin, Malfoy, what on earth is that?''

Hermione noted that it was highly unlike Malfoy to smile so happily when his work was being criticised but thought nothing of it. Instead, she checked on her potion and smiled sweetly at Ron when he turned and looked at her, sending a blush across his adorably freckled cheeks.

Slughorn looked into Hermione's cauldron and beamed at her. ''Excellent Miss Granger. Probably the best in the class.''

Hermione opened her mouth to thank her teacher but Draco's clipped tones cut in. ''Well, you know what Professor, this could be the perfect solution.''

Hermione felt the cold hand of dread run up and down her spine, which wasn't helped by Slughorn actually turning to pay attention to Draco. She wanted to scream, to jump up and down, anything to avert the evil moment which was coming.

Draco smirked and carried on. ''Well, I've been having a bit of difficulty with this particular module. I'm sure having a tutor would help me, and who better to tutor me than the best student in the class?''

Hermione's head snapped towards Draco, and he smiled infuriatingly into her livid amber eyes and Ron's furious blue ones. Hermione turned back to her teacher, desperate to appeal to him but he was already nodding and telling her that she should agree with Malfoy when she would meet him to help him.

Hermione's mouth was open but for what must have been the first time in her life, a clear and incisive argument wasn't coming. Draco walked towards her, patted her shoulder in a manner that was so patronising she could have cheerfully clawed his eyes out and said ''Thank you so much for helping me Hermione. We're going to have so much fun together.''

And with an evil little smirk that left her with no doubt about his less than honourable intentions, he slid out of the classroom. Hermione turned to Harry and Ron, her face hopeless. ''What's he playing at? He doesn't need any tutoring!''

Ron picked up her bag for her and led her to the door. ''Harry and I will sit in the library while you tutor him.''

''He isn't going to let that pass Ron. He'll kick up a fuss and Slughorn will just ask you to leave him alone.''

''I'm not leaving you alone with him Hermione.'' 

Hermione looked up at the tall redhead and felt a faint flicker of irritation. He couldn't work up the courage to ask her out but he could tell her who she could be alone with or not? But as soon as she thought it, she forgot it. Ron was just being himself. He cared for her, and he was trying to look out for her in his own idiosyncratic way. He wasn't a boorish pig trying to control her life. Rubbing his arm gently, she smiled at him. ''Ronald, I can take care of Malfoy. He's just doing this to try and irritate you. Don't let him get to you. He has absolutely no interest in me at all.''

But as soon as she said that she remembered Draco's body pressing up against hers in the corridor. Whatever Draco's intentions, he certainly had some kind of interest in her, no matter how cruel the interest was. Pressing her lips together, she could feel the statement burning corrosively on the tip of her tongue as she walked along the corridor with her two best friends, determined not to worry them with what would turn out to be an entirely inconsequential detail. She was a Gryffindor, she could handle herself.

Draco sauntered back to his common room, almost glowing with his latest triumph. With one ruined potion, he had managed to piss off Weasley and isolate Granger from her friends. He was positively Machiavellian. 

Stripping off his uniform, he cast a brief glance at his reflection in the mirror and admired what he saw. Granger could pretend she wanted nothing to do with him but he most certainly had the tools to make her his property. He would flirt with her relentlessly, intoxicate her, have her, hold her briefly and then drop her like the worthless piece of crap that she was. Weasley would have been so infuriated by the lack of attention that he would have been getting off Hermione that he would have no interest in restoring her to her previous happiness. Draco smirked and pulled on a t-shirt. Two people's happiness ruined in one clean chop of the axe, and his status as a gorgeous heartbreaker secured once again.

Lounging across his bed, and flicking through his potions textbook, he wondered how he would pass the time in his tutoring sessions. What would be the best way to drive Granger wild with desire? And if he could irritate her beyond human forbearance at the same time so much the better.

Rooting through his bedside table drawer, he pulled out a chocolate frog. Ignoring the charm that made it try to flee him, he snapped one of its legs off and let it dissolve in his mouth. Licking a smear of chocolate off his finger, he paused and smirked. He knew exactly what he was going to do.

_AN: Enjoy it? Then make this author magically very happy, and review! Thanks, petitesorciere xxx_


	3. Chapter 3

**Gluttony and Temperance**

_Gluttony is the over-indulgence and over-consumption of anything to the point of waste, whereas temperance is the practicing of self control, abstention and moderation._

Hermione resisted the urge to drag her feet sullenly over the floor of the library. A pile of potions textbooks weighed heavily in her arms. Her plan was to swamp Malfoy with so much information that he wouldn't have the time to make the snide comments that she was sure he had been planning since that fateful potions class. Hopefully, if she could rise above all his barbs then he would realise that his entire ploy had been a complete waste of time and would give up. In her heart of hearts though, she knew that there was no way Draco would give up that easily. Seeing a flash of blonde hair, and with a sinking heart, she made her way over to the table that Draco had chosen at the back of the library.

Draco lounged back in his seat, a smirk primed and ready to roll over his lips. Granger glared at him, the ferocity in her eyes leaving him in no doubt as to her true intentions, as she dropped the pile of books onto the desk, the slam echoing through the dusty shelves. Sliding into the seat opposite him, she didn't even bother to greet him, just opened the first tome and began flicking through to the relevant chapter.

''Seeing as you've been having difficulty with this potion, we'll go back through the theory and identify exactly what is causing problems.''

Draco wondered idly whether she was actually going to look up at any point and acknowledge that he was there.

''So if we start with…For Merlin's sake, you can at least pay attention!'' She became conscious that she had raised her voice more than was necessary and lowered it to an irritable hiss. ''You asked for this session, it's up to you to make the most of it.''

''I'm making the most of it in my own special way.''

''Well, that's not good enough! I've had to give up my time for this…'' Hermione trailed off, wondering why he was looking at her like that. Had she actually managed to make him realise how much he had irritated her?

The next words that came out of his mouth left her in no doubt that she had been completely misguided. ''Shut up for Granger, for pity's sake.''

Hermione glowered at him. Turning back to the book, she spun it around to face him, and pointed to a passage. ''Copy that, it'll remind you of what the purposes of these potions are.''

''And who are you to give me orders?''

Hermione stood up, taking advantage of the superiority implicit in the fact that she was standing above him. ''I am your tutor, you arrogant, self-obsessed idiot! I have been told that I have to give up my time for you, so I have! I am doing this because you said that you needed a tutor, and you asked for me specifically! So don't you dare try and spend this time bossing me around and trying to make me feel like crap, because it isn't going to work! You will do what I tell you to do and if you don't do it with good grace, fine, but you are going to do it!'' Hermione looked towards the front of the library, but Madam Pince didn't seem to have heard anything; Draco had picked a table so far into the library that any noise they made would be muffled.

Draco watched Hermione drop back into her seat and pick up another book. He had to admit, he was shocked. Who would have known Granger would speak to anyone like that? She clearly wasn't going to be the kind of girl that he could bully into having feelings for him (which made sense given the way that she had reacted to him in the corridor). So how was he supposed to intoxicate her? She obviously wouldn't respond to what he had planned to do; cunningly blindside her with a show of alpha-male dominance.

He was watching her appraisingly, mulling the problem over, when he saw a flash of red hair, and noticed Ron walking determinedly towards their table. He rolled his eyes: what was it with Gryffindors and being unable to leave each other alone? They were far too over-protective.

Ron dropped his hand on Hermione's shoulder and she jumped, looking up from her book in shock. But as soon as she saw Ron's face, her eyes lit up. Draco lounged back in his seat and observed.

Ron smiled at her. ''You ok?''

''Fine.'' She looked at him, hoping she didn't look at all out of the ordinary. The last thing that was needed was yet another scene. ''Hopefully we'll be done soon.''

''Well, done for today,'' Draco interjected. ''I'm sure I'm going to need a lot more help.''

It had been worth it simply for the look of rage crossing Ron's face. Draco wondered exactly what it was about Weasley that made him want to score points over him. Maybe it was because it was so easy. Or because Weasley had some bizarre idea that it was ok to try and get whatever he wanted. Draco curled his lip. Blood traitors didn't have that privilege, and it just added to Draco's desire to take away what Ron wanted. Hermione stared furiously at Draco, wondering what on earth he had been playing at. How dare he create so many problems?

''Ron.'' She called his name softly and watched him jerk back from the murderous fantasies that she was sure he had been having. ''Are you ok?''

''Yeah, I just wanted to check you were ok.''

''I'm fine. Thank you so much for making sure.'' Hermione smiled sweetly, and Draco wondered how Ron managed to have such an effect with such simple words.

''I would do anything for you.'' Ron said the words, then seemed to realise what he had said. His cheeks stained bright red, and with a final glare at Draco, he left, with a hopeful glance back at Hermione.

She turned back to the desk in front of her, her cheeks flushed. Draco raised his eyebrows incredulously. It was that simple? She went for 'sweet' boys? Dipping his quill in ink, he supposed that there weren't any boys other than 'sweet' boys in Gryffindor. She must be defensive because she didn't know how to act around him. He completely dismissed the idea that she could hate him. Girls didn't hate Draco Malfoy, they just pretended to so that they would get his intention.

In that case, he reflected, he might need a slightly different approach to what he had initially planned. Something more casual. Something more boyish. Something that would relax Hermione. He had an idea that if he could make her laugh, he would be on better footing with her. And even a friendship with her would unsettle Weasley so much, that it would be a definite victory for Draco. And when he manage to make her fall for him, the look on Weasley's face would be so perfect. And then when he dropped her, it would be even better: all their little day-dreams ruined for the sake of a one-week dalliance.

Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a handful of Chocolate Frogs. Hermione looked up when she heard the rustling of the packaging, glared scornfully at him and turned back to the book. She jumped as she heard a sharp snap and looked up to see that Draco was placing one of the frog's limbs into his mouth. ''I didn't realise that you were cruel to everything that came near you.''

Draco looked at her, and Hermione had to inhale sharply. She had been prepared for his derision, had expected a disdainful comment, but instead those steely grey eyes just met hers. There didn't appear to be any hatred in them. They were still calculating, obviously, and cold, but still unbelievably…different. She was being sucked into twin grey pools, forgetting exactly whose eyes they were. All she could see was a smokey grey mixing with a far darker grey. Absentmindedly, unable to tear her eyes away, she thought that they were such lovely eyes. They didn't have the vibrancy of Harry's emerald-green eyes, and they weren't as soft as Ron's, but they were clear and interesting and had depth to them…

She was yanked back unceremoniously from her reverie by another sharp snap. Draco was holding another chocolate leg in pale fingers. She shook her head, as if to clear it. What had she been thinking? Draco might have nice eyes, but that certainly did not make him an interesting person, and he most certainly did not have hidden depths. She looked back to the page in front of her, only to be distracted yet again by a soft cough from Draco.

Looking up, she saw that he was offering her the chocolate. Looking to the desk, she saw the frog twitching miserably: the charm that let it move was obviously no longer working properly. ''I'm fine, thank you,'' she said stiffly, but Draco wasn't prepared to let the issue drop.

''A bit of chocolate isn't going to kill you Granger.''

''I'm going to be having lunch in about fifteen minutes, I think I can survive. Also, what you've done to that frog is just malicious. I don't want any part in that.''

''Live a little Granger. Life doesn't have to be so boring all the time.''

''My life isn't boring! And eating part of a mutilated Chocolate Frog is hardly an enormous thrill.'' Hermione felt a shiver run through her even as she said the words: Draco's eyes had a gleam in them. A slow smile ran across his lips, and he placed the chocolate in his mouth.

''Clearly you haven't been eating chocolate in the right way Granger.''

Hermione clenched her legs together, determined to ignore the warm flush that was creeping through her, and refusing to give in to the smile that was tugging at the corners of her mouth. Malfoy would not make her feel that way. And she would not play his game. Lowering her head, she looked at her book again, watching from under lowered eyelashes as Draco finished the Frog, only to bring out yet another one. For some reason, it irritated her more than was feasibly possible. ''Do you have to eat all of those?''

''One of those simple pleasures in life Granger.''

''You don't need to eat them.''

''And yet I will eat them. Sure I can't tempt you?''

Hermione looked coldly at him. ''I doubt very much that you could offer anything which would tempt me.''

Draco shrugged, wondering when she would loosen up. As he ripped the packet open, the Frog (perhaps aware of the fate which would befall it) leapt out of his hand, and onto the desk, scattering sheets of Hermione's parchment and his quill onto the floor. It made to leap away yet further, but instinctively, Hermione's hand shot out and grabbed it. Without even thinking about what she was doing, she knelt down on the floor and began gathering up her parchment.

Draco knelt down as well, and picked up his quill. Hermione had all her parchment, and looked in puzzlement at the frog in her hand, almost as though she had forgotten how it had gotten there.

Draco looked towards the front of the library. There was a stream of students leaving, clearly lunch was ready. He turned back to Hermione and gently extended a hand, taking hold of the hand which was holding the twitching Frog, which no longer seemed so concerned to escape. ''You have something that I want Granger.''

Hermione's amber eyes met his, and she uncurled her fingers. Draco took the Frog back and then looked at her soft, small hand. There was a smear of chocolate resting on her palm. ''You still have something I want.'' Before she could protest, he had raised her palm to his mouth.

She could feel his tongue, gently cleaning away the chocolate. There was none of the brusque, aggressive attitude that he had displayed when trying to kiss her in the corridor. Instead, the warmth of his tongue was sending shivers through her whole body, making her desire to twitch almost unbearable. She knew that she ought to pull her hand away but the idea of stopping that teasing tongue was inconceivable.

Draco lowered her hand, and then folded each of her fingers carefully back over the palm. He watched as her tongue flickered over her plump lower lip, knowing in smug satisfaction that he had probably made her mouth dry. And yet, he knew he was not in control as he needed to be. The look on her face was enough to make him forget his ulterior motives, and that was not what he needed.

Breaking a part off the melting chocolate, he extended it forward, and gently placed it between her slightly open lips. Taken by surprise, Hermione felt the sweetness race across her taste buds, the creaminess of the chocolate spreading through her mouth. Swallowing, she thought that it had been unbearably pleasant. But before she could even explore why a simple piece of chocolate had provoked such a reaction in her, Draco's lips were on hers. She could taste more chocolate on his lips, probably from the Frog he had eaten before. It crossed into her mouth, and she felt that shiver run through her again. His lips were soft against hers. He wasn't plundering her mouth as he had before. He wasn't tentative though. He was still taking what he wanted, gorging on it, just doing it more slowly so as to disarm her.

She felt his hand stroke her cheek tenderly and knew that he was tricking her. The kiss, so wonderful, so sensual, was a betrayal of what a kiss should be. Pulling back sharply, she watched the eyelids open, exposing shocked smokey eyes. Hoping that her eyes weren't as hazy as his were, that her cheeks and lips weren't as flushed with desire, she stood up. Snatching the Frog out of his hand, she hissed ''You're too greedy Malfoy. Learn some self-control''

_**AN: Did we enjoy? Hopefully so! Please do leave me a review! Love, petitesorciere xxx**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Sloth and Diligence**

_Sloth is the failure to utilise one's talents and gifts, whereas diligence is a zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work. Diligence is characterized by the budgeting of one's time; monitoring one's own activities to guard against laziness._

Hermione sat and glared at one of the tapestries in the Gryffindor common room. How dare he? How dare he act like that, in public no less? What right had he to think that she would fall at his feet like one of those stupid girls who stared at him from under lowered eyelashes, giggling behind their hands? She was not like that! She was clever, and she knew what was right for her, and it was not him! He was scum; Malfoy the amazing bouncing ferret. She was Hermione Granger: smartest witch of her generation.

Breathing in deeply, Hermione tried to calm down. She was playing his game if she got angry. This would be some convoluted plan on his part to irritate her. She had done what Slughorn had asked her to do, and she wouldn't have to spend any more time with him. After a while she would stop thinking about the feel of his tongue on her palm, of his lips on hers, of the hot flush that ran through her veins, and about the sensations that had made her want to close her eyes and bury her fingers in his hair. It would be a distant memory, and she could go back to her normal life.

Harry and Ron marched into the Common Room, their Quidditch robes muddy. Hermione looked at them and rolled her eyes. ''It's a game played in the air. How did you get muddy?'

''It was raining.''

''Does it rain mud Harry?'' Hermione stood up to better look at the pair of them. ''Honestly, you look like you were rolling in the stuff.''

''We may have had a small fight in it when we got off our brooms.'' Harry looked at Hermione sheepishly.

Hermione shook her head. ''Well, get changed. You asked me to help you with your Transfiguration homework, and we need to do that now.''

''Oh, come on Hermione!'' Ron smiled at her, and she bit her lip to resist smiling back. He looked so sweet with a smear of mud across his cheek. But unbidden, a glimpse of Draco's grey eyes staring impassively up at her as he kissed her palm sprang into her mind.

But even as she snapped back to reality, Ron was advancing on her in his dirty robes. ''Give us a hug Hermione!''

''No! Ronald, you're filthy!''

''And that matters? Come on Hermione, don't you love me any more?''

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks. ''What?''

''I…'' Ron tailed off, looking shocked at what had just come out of his mouth. ''I didn't mean…''

''What didn't you mean?''

''I don't know.''

Hermione looked at his face, and hated him for not being more assertive. A white hot rage flashed through her: all he had to say was a simple sentence, he just had to tell her that he wanted her, that he wanted to hold her. It wasn't difficult, for Merlin's sake!

Turning on her heel, she made her way to the portrait hole, mumbling some excuse, saying she would be back soon, just knowing that she had to get out before she shrieked something that would cause an argument that would in turn leave her crying in bed every night.

Out in the corridor, she took a deep breath in and leaned against the wall. Why had it irritated her so much that Ron couldn't say what she needed him to say? Picking herself up and walking blindly away from Gryffindor Tower, she mulled the problem over.

It was only when she was standing outside, the sky clear now after the earlier shower of rain, that the entirely unwelcome answer came to her. It was all Draco Malfoy's fault. He was too…experienced. Too sure of himself. And it made her look at Ron and think that he was nothing but a little boy. Would a little boy like him ever be able to make her feel as Draco had made her feel with one simple movement? Of course not.

But that wasn't something she needed to hold against him, she reasoned. Ron was just being Ron. He had always been slightly shy, and more so when it came to girls. She couldn't expect him to act like Draco Malfoy, the man-slut of Slytherin.

But this was her, a rebellious little voice in her head piped up. This was her, Hermione, who had known Ron since they were eleven. He didn't need to be nervous around her.

Well, maybe he didn't want to ruin their friendship.

He hadn't worried about that when he was threatening to kill Crookshanks.

But he…Hermione struggled to come up with an answer for that. He was just being Ron, she told herself.

Is that good enough, the little voice asked. Surely you deserve better than that? You know what you're doing, why waste time on someone who seems incapable of making a decision?

I don't know why I'm listening to you, Hermione retorted. Clapping a palm to her forehead, she turned back to the castle. She couldn't stay out here and talk to herself. She had promised to help the others, and they certainly wouldn't be working if she wasn't there telling them to do it.

She was just about to walk in through the large doors when she was pushed to one side as some one stormed out. She turned in outrage. ''What do you think you're…oh. It's you.''

Draco turned and stared at her. ''And what do you mean by that?''

''Just that I wouldn't expect anything more than incredibly bad manners from you.'' Hermione turned to walk back into the castle.

''Now, isn't it incredibly bad manners to make personal comments?'' Hermione turned around and saw the most hideously smug expression she had ever seen.

''You think you have the right to make comments like that?''

''And here we go on. Come on Granger, let's cut things short, shall we? You're going to get all huffy, call me a ferret and run off back to Potter and Weasley. So now that we both now how things will end, why don't you trot off back to the Gryffindor tower?''

Hermione wished she could curse him. She needed to go back to the tower but if she went now, he would think she was doing what he had told her to do, and every fibre of her being baulked at that thought. Breathing deeply, she willed herself to leave her wand exactly where it was.

''Anyway, what are you doing out here?'' Draco stared at her.

''None of your business Malfoy.''

''You know it's those charming little comments that you drop that make me want to spend more and more time with you.'' Draco's voice was saccharine sweet, and Hermione thought about how satisfying it would be to use a Tongue-Tying curse on him. ''I can barely wait for our next tutoring session.''

Hermione's head jerked up and she stared at him in undisguised horror. ''What are you talking about? We're not having any more tutoring sessions!''

''Oh yes we are.'' Hermione thought absentmindedly that it was that kind of tone that distanced him from Ron: he didn't even seem anxious that she might refuse because he knew that he would get his own way in the end. ''As I told Weasley when he interrupted us in the library, I think I'm going to need lots of tutoring.''

''Well you aren't getting it off me.'' Hermione raised her chin, knowing that this was her perfect opportunity to walk away. But his voice turned her around.

''I get everything I want Granger. And I want you to tutor me.''

''Malfoy, you know and I know that you do not need tutoring! Stop being so bloody… frustrating!'' She choked the words out, knowing that they were barely sufficient for what she wanted to say.

''I would have hoped I would warrant slightly higher than 'frustrating' given how much I seem to be getting to you.''

''You are not getting to me! You just want an argument and I'm not giving you that!'' Hermione calmed her voice, resisting the urge to scream at him. The sun peered out from behind a white fluffy cloud, and Draco was suddenly bathed in light. Hermione watched a thousand different tones of blonde appear in his hair and had never wanted to pull out every strand as much as she had at that precise moment.

''So I'm not getting tutoring off you, and I'm not getting an argument off you? Is there anything you do want to give me Granger?''

Hermione breathed in deeply, trying to retain a sense of equilibrium as she stared at the wicked smirk on Draco's lips and at the glint in his eyes. Yet another difference between Ron and Malfoy. Ron would have told her she looked pretty, Draco had pretty much just invited her to have sex with him. She opened her mouth to respond, but to her utter horror, no reply was forthcoming. All she could think of was the assurance with which his tongue had licked a smear of chocolate off her hand, how she had been able to taste the sweetness of the confectionary as his tongue had slowly moved around her mouth, almost unbearably luxuriously. Every circuit of her brain had been diverted to thinking about that one instant in agonizing clarity. ''I…I….I need to go,'' she blurted. ''I promised to help Harry and Ron with their homework.''

''What a martyr you are,'' Draco drawled. ''I can't think of anything worse. Why bother?''

''I promised. Plus, if I don't do this, I don't have anything to do.'' Hermione clamped her lips shut tightly. What the hell had prompted her to say that? Forget tying up Draco's tongue, she clearly need to rip out her own tongue!

Draco's lips quirked, as he held himself back from laughing out loud with immense effort. ''Are you serious Granger? You honestly have nothing else to do?''

''Well…I've done everything I have to do.'' Hermione looked defiantly at him, and Draco watched with detached interest as her cheeks became flushed.

''Well, that doesn't mean you have to stand over Weasley and Potter while they do their homework. You aren't their teacher.''

He's right, Hermione thought. But there was no way she was going to tell him that. ''I don't like to be lazing around, and if I can help other people, I might as well.''

''Dear Merlin, Granger take off the halo. You're how old? Take some time off, it isn't going to kill you.''

''I don't even know why I'm telling you this.'' Hermione turned her back on him and walked out away from him.

Draco paused and called after her. ''Help the Wonder Twins, or come and spend the rest of the evening with me, just lazing around and doing nothing. I guarantee you'll have a better time.'' His voice hinted at tantalising secrets that would be revealed to her if she came.

''Dream on Malfoy.'' Draco watched her slim back walk proudly away from him, and smirked. He would just pull rank on her. Changing direction, he marched off into the dungeons, pushed open a door.

''Professor Slughorn, Hermione Granger seems reluctant to fulfil her tutoring duties. Any chance you could remind her?''

Hermione was sitting at one of the tables in the Common Room, listening to Harry and Ron's quills scratching. But her mind wasn't on helping them. Weak sunlight, the last rays of the day, could be seen flickering off the lake in the distance. She could be sitting by that lake doing nothing. But in her dreams she knew that she wasn't sitting alone, but with a certain blonde Slytherin, revelling in his experience…Furrowing her brow, she resolutely pushed the dream away, only to have it battering at her mind again seconds later, desperately trying to get back in.

So it was almost a relief when she was spared from the relentless tedium by a first year arriving bearing a note addressed to her. Unfurling the parchment, her eyes ran over the slanted script. Watching her, Ron and Harry saw her face fall (although they couldn't see the tentative jump of her heart). ''What's wrong?''

''Slughorn says I need to tutor Malfoy.''

''What? When?''

''Now. Apparently this is the only time he's free.''

''This is ridiculous.'' Harry stood up. ''You shouldn't have to waste your time tutoring Malfoy.''

Hermione thought indulgently that it probably hadn't occurred to him that he expected her to spend her evening tutoring him. She tuned back in to hear Harry declare that he was going to go and see Slughorn at that precise moment. She protested, knowing that Malfoy would never give up that easily, but her friends were already storming to the Potions' classroom.

They barged in and began trying to explain themselves, Hermione tugging at their sleeves, trying to stop them, knowing it wouldn't make a difference, but the only thing that shut them up was Draco's languid drawl, as he emerged from a shadowy corner of the classroom. ''I think even Granger's trying to shut you up. For Merlin's sake, you're embarrassing yourselves.''

Slughorn stood up. ''The fact remains gentlemen, no matter your feelings on the issue, Miss Granger is to help Malfoy with his work. Please, they are to begin work now, so it would be helpful if you would give them some peace.''

With resentful glares, Harry and Ron left the room. Hermione stared coldly at Draco. ''Well, what part are you having problems with now?''

''Why stay in here? It's so gloomy. We'll go out by the lake.''

Hermione stared at him in silent fury. ''The sun's about to go down.''

''Well, we'd better get a move on then.''

Hermione gritted her teeth, unable to bear the fact that he had gotten his own way after all. ''I really don't think that's a good idea.''

But Draco's arm was already slipping around her elbow and guiding her out of the classroom. She shook him off angrily, but Slughorn had seen her. ''Miss Granger, any more problems with this arrangement and I will be taking points from Gryffindor. You have a duty to help those students who need it.''

Draco smirked at her and she flounced out of the classroom. Following her, Draco was pushed back as she spun on her heel and jabbed a finger in his chest. ''You need help and not the sort that I can give you!'' She hissed and then marched off towards the exit.

Draco followed her in silence until she threw herself onto the ground by the lake. ''Right, come on, what do you want help with? The sun's about to go down, so you need to get a move on.''

Rather than answer her, Draco lay back and stretched himself out on the grass. Dew was beginning to gather and he felt its cold brush against his cheek as he turned to look at her in the dusk. She was rather beautiful when she was angry, he reflected. He must irritate her more often.

''Malfoy, what do you want help with?'' She spat the words out at him.

''I'm not here for your help, I'm here to help you.'' He raised himself onto one elbow and looked at her. ''I will admit that this is brilliant for me because it pisses Weasley and Potter off more than anything I've ever seen before, but you have such a sterile existence that you've actually stirred me to pity. You work and you help other people. You look exhausted. You don't eat excessive amounts of chocolate, you don't spend time just lazing around and proper flirting seems to terrify you. You don't have any vices, and they're what make life worth living.''

''You don't know what you're talking about.''

''Yes I do.'' With the calm assurance in his voice that Hermione had come to loathe, Draco lay back down on the grass. ''You are going to sit here, and you are not going to think about doing work or helping someone else. You are going to look at the sun setting and you are going to daydream.''

''But I…''

''I don't want to hear it.''

''But don't you have things that you need to do?''

''Many of them and varied in nature. But I'm not going to do them just yet.''

''You don't need a tutor, do you?''

''Of course not. But there are far better things to do with life than spend it beavering away. Now watch the bloody sunset.''

Hermione opened her mouth to protest but decided it wasn't worth it. The thought of leaving didn't even cross her mind. Instead, she watched the last clouds blow away and the sun paint the sky red and pink as it slowly sank beyond the horizon. She felt weight lift off her shoulders, her brain unwind, her brow relax. As the sun finally disappeared, and dark began to spread across the castle grounds, she breathed in deeply and realised how stressed she had been.

She turned her head and realised Draco had been watching her the entire time, his arms folded behind his head. ''Better?''

''Surprisingly, yes.'' She smiled a little and decided she wouldn't think about how weird this was. At this precise moment she didn't care that this was probably some malicious prank. She was too relaxed. And Draco knew it.

''Aren't you going to say thank you?''

''Thank you.''

''Thank you, who?''

''Thank you Malfoy.''

''Good enough.'' He sat up and looked across the dark lake. ''Relax more often Granger. You're too young to be permanently stressed out. And you're no good at arguing when you're stressed out.''

''I am not.''

''Oh come on, you froze earlier.''

''You were….''

''I was being lecherous? Come on, you aren't going to let something like that threaten you?''

''Well, I'm…''

''Not used to it?'' Draco asked and Hermione nodded. The darkness was protection. It meant this wasn't really happening.

''I can help you with that as well.'' Draco's voice was softer and she could only see his dark form in the dim light.

And before she could stop herself, appalled at herself, her voice was spilling from her mouth, a soft whisper asking ''how?''

The heel of his palm stroked gently across her cheekbones, as he knelt in front of her. His hand slid into her soft hair, nudging the silky ribbon that she had used to push her hair back. Then his hands were meeting around the back of her neck and pulling her, pliant and delicate, towards him. His lips met hers, more slowly than they ever had before. And in that moment, Hermione was lost. She couldn't think to analyse any subtext in Draco's embrace. She could only slide her hands around his back, sighing as his hands ran down her spine, met around her waist and pulled her closer to him, deepening the angle of the kiss and letting his tongue skitter slowly across the roof of her mouth, dancing with her own tongue.

Draco pulled away from her, and saw she still had her eyes closed, eyelashes resting on her cheek. Then the eyelids fluttered up and amber eyes met grey. ''Teach me more.''

_**AN: Wasn't that a lovely long chapter? In fact, it was double the length of the ones that I've written so far. So let me know what you thought of it! I love getting reviews, almost as much as I love being added to people's alerts. So let me know what you think, and I promise to respond, even if it's just to say thank you! Lots of love…Petitesorciere xxx**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Lust and Chastity**

_Lust is obsessive or excessive thoughts or desires of a sexual nature, whereas chastity is the embracing of moral wholesomeness and the achievement of purity of body and mind through education and betterment._

Hermione stared resolutely at her potion and stirred it slightly harder than was necessary, causing part of the viscous liquid to splash onto her desk. Letting out a hiss of irritation, she mopped it up and turned back to her potion, determined not to look up and catch Malfoy's eyes. Yes, she was angry with him for his nasty, manipulative nature but she was furious with herself! How could she have been so stupid, to fall into his trap? To let him kiss her? To ask him to kiss her?

She thought back to that horrible moment where her tongue had taken over, lulled into a false sense of security. How she had just whispered at him. She could still hear her voice and it was making her die a little inside every time she thought about it. Which was precisely why she couldn't look at Malfoy. She was absolutely positive that just one glance from those horrible, cool, calculating, mesmerising eyes would cause her to spontaneously combust.

Draco looked over at her, noting with quiet glee that she was resolutely ignoring him, and trying to lose herself in work. Had she not learnt anything from last night, he wondered. There was no fun in doing the work as soon as it was set. Far better to rush at the end, and then make everyone help you. Which reminded him…he turned his back on the potion recipe. He would make this one up as he went along.

Ten minutes later, he was looking into Slughorn's puzzled face. ''What can I say Professor? I suppose I just need a lot more help.''

''Maybe you need a tutor other than Miss Granger.'' Slughorn rubbed his chin ruminatively.

''No, Professor, Granger is great, I'm just being thick.'' Draco smiled at him, and then smirked at Harry and Ron as they glared at him in utter fury.

''Well, Miss Granger, I think Malfoy will need your help again. Could you make the session this evening – Malfoy, I'd like you to have an essay in to me in the next couple of days detailing where you went wrong with this potion. Miss Granger can help you with it.''

Hermione's lips narrowed. ''Professor, I really don't think Malfoy needs any more help.''

''Miss Granger!'' Slughorn gestured at Malfoy's cauldron, which looked like it was covered in congealed green porridge. ''He clearly needs all the help he can get!''

Draco did his best to look innocent and failed miserably.

Hermione turned back to her cauldron. For once her own perfect potion was little consolation. More time she would have to spend with him.

It could be worse, that pesky little voice in her head said. You weren't complaining last night by the lake.

You can shut up, she told it firmly, and flicked to a new page in her textbook, seeking anything that would shut out the memories of Draco's hands around her waist and his body pressing against hers.

Time flew past in that irritating way that it does when you are dreading something, and before Hermione knew what she was doing, she was walking with a sense of dread anticipation towards the library. She was firmly lecturing herself: tonight there would be a respectable distance between herself and Malfoy. They would discuss only the work which he seemed so intent on failing to understand. There would be no sunset walks down to the lake. There would be no whispering, and no falling into nasty traps set by horrible Slytherins.

Pushing the library door open, she saw Draco sitting at a table that was in the middle of a pool of early evening sunlight that was falling through the arched windows. Taking a deep breath in to fortify herself, she marched over to the table and sat down, her mouth clenched in a thin line.

Draco sat up in his seat. ''Evening Granger.''

Hermione ignored the greeting and flipped through the pages of her textbook, noting as she did so that Draco hadn't seen fit to bring any of his books, or even a parchment. Breathing in through her nose, she pushed the textbook at Draco. ''That was the potion that we were doing today. Look at it, and tell me what you did wrong.''

Draco pushed the book to one side. ''I didn't even look at the instructions for making the potion, that's what I did wrong. What the hell's wrong with you?''

''I'm fed up of spending my evenings trying to tutor someone who first of all doesn't even need my help, and secondly won't even pretend to make an effort!'' Hermione hissed at him, and pulled the book back in front of him.

Draco just pushed it to one side again. ''You weren't fed up last night!''

''Mention last night and I'll curse you!'' Draco looked at the furious amber eyes and truly believed that she would. Mind you, he did love looking at her when she was angry. She narrowed her eyes and he smirked and slowly pulled the book back in front of him. ''Do you have a quill and some parchment?''

She shoved them at him without even deigning to glance at him. Draco lowered his head and began copying a passage, still smirking to himself. Hermione looked at him briefly and then firmly averted her gaze. But her mind was whirring: why was he actually doing what she wanted him to do? It went against everything she knew of him!

Half an hour later, she knew exactly what he was doing, and she hated him almost as much as she hated herself for playing his game. Because while he sat there working, just occasionally glancing up at her with that hateful sneer written across his lips she was sitting there wondering why he had capitulated to her fury so easily. Why he wasn't pursuing her like he had in their previous sessions? Why had he given up so easily?

As soon as each of these thoughts crossed her mind, she would scold herself, telling herself that that was precisely what she needed him to do. She could not, and would not, tolerate some ridiculous faux-attraction. He had been manipulating her, and she couldn't sit there wishing that he would push the book to one side, reach across the table and kiss her! Looking around the library, she grabbed the nearest book and tried to lose herself in Rune Translation rather than thinking about Draco's caresses.

Draco for his part was having a great time. He could sense, even without looking at her, Hermione's complete and utter frustration. He knew that she wanted to kiss him, and by denying herself she was becoming more and more irritable and frustrated. Even now, he was aware of her flipping through the pages of her book without taking anything in, of her crossing and re-crossing her legs, her surreptitious glances at him, her flicking hair, her soft sighs of irritation. Every time he glanced up, over the piles of books that he had been getting, he met her eyes. No wonder he was smirking: for the first time, he felt like he was properly in control.

Finally, he laid the quill down and pushed the parchment away. ''I've done that essay. Will you proof-read it?''

His tone was so meek that Hermione instantly knew he was up to something but she just held out her hand and took the sheets. As she scanned his slanted print, she was aware of him standing up but assumed he was just stretching. Seconds later, he was standing behind her, and she could feel the warmth of his hand next to her back as he rested his hand on the back of her chair.

Finished reading, she pushed the essay away. ''It's fine. Just bear that in mind and you won't need any more tutoring.'' It was too much of an effort to fight with him; much better to just pretend he was stupid. Pretending meant that she didn't have to consider ulterior motives.

But Draco didn't seem keen to let her forget them. He was slipping into the chair next to her and staring her down with steely grey eyes. ''If that's the case I might as well tear up the essay now.''

''Stop being stupid.'' But the statement, which had sounded so forceful in her head, came out more like a plea. Hermione began gathering her things and stuffing them into her bag, but Draco's cool hand slid around her wrist and halted her process.

''Help me put those books away.'' Hermione thought idly that he had the tone of voice that she had been aiming for. Standing up, she grabbed some of the books and disappeared into the shelves.

Draco ran the soft feather of her quill across the back of his hand, paused reflectively and then followed her into the shelves, padding gently.

Hermione didn't hear him approach, and was just sliding 'Potion Making for Squibs' back into its place when a hand slid around her shoulders and turned her to her right. She was about to scream when she saw the familiar blonde hair hanging over eyes that glinted malevolently. She wrenched away from Draco and pushed the last book into place. ''What are you doing?''

''It's a little game I play called 'See how defensive you can make Granger.' I'm excellent at it.''

''I'm even better at one called 'Permanently scar Malfoy.''

Draco grinned and reached out to push her hair back from her face. She jumped back with superb reflexes that would have made her the toast of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Draco smiled in incredulity: why was she still denying herself this? He reached out again, and Hermione jumped back again, only to find herself pressed against a shelf.

''Stop it!''

''Stop denying yourself what you want! Are you honestly telling me that you were happier reading a textbook than you are now with me like this?'' Just to make his point that little bit more clearly, Draco stepped in closer to her. She could smell his aftershave and closed her eyes in an attempt to block it out. This was not meant to be happening! It wasn't fair! Not after she had managed to go for so long without doing anything stupid, and now her stupid hormones were going to conspire against her and make her doing something that she was going to regret so much later.

She looked up at Draco and he had to take in a deeper breath than usual. Those eyes: they were so mutinous and still so vulnerable. Draco reached out again and this time, Hermione just stood still and let him stroke her cheek. He was reminded of stroking a cat that had been fighting him off for ages and then suddenly relents, simply because it wants the attention. And then, against all original intentions, the cat finds itself liking the attention and wanting it for its own sake.

She closed her eyes in brief acceptance and felt the long fingers roam over the soft skin of her face. Opening her eyes again, she looked at the intense expression on Draco's face, and felt a weakness in her knees that she had never expected to feel. She had always thought that romantic writers had been exaggerating when they described light-headed lust and hungers rippling through every nerve. There was nothing she wanted more at that precise moment than to have Draco's body pressed up against her, his lips against hers.

Draco saw a softening in her expression and seized the moment. Stepping forward, he lowered his lips to hers, and in an unprecedented movement, felt her arms slip around his neck, holding him to her. Pushing her further back against the shelves, he buried his face in her neck. Almost before she could realise it, Hermione and Draco had retreated further into the darker recesses of the library and her shirt was lying on the floor, with the rest of her clothes following quickly. Draco's bare skin was sliding against hers and her soft whimpers assured him that she needed this just as much as he did.

Later, pulling her shirt back on, she was unable to look up from the floor. What the hell had she done? What had possessed her to do that, in the library of all places?

Draco looked at her reflectively, and wondered that he hadn't broken her. She seemed so small now. Almost fragile. He hooked a hand around her waist and pressed another kiss to her lips.

''What have you done to me?'' She asked him, her eyebrows furrowed. ''What am I doing?''

''Giving in to temptation. It's about bloody time if you ask me.''

''You assume that I want to be giving in.''

Draco reached out and gently bit the side of her neck, and felt an involuntary shudder of joy ripple through her and a moan slip out of her mouth. ''Yeah, I think I can assume that.''

Hermione stared up at him and wanted to bury her face in her hands. She regretted what she had done, but at the same time nothing had ever made her feel more alive. Nothing had ever made her feel that good. Nothing had ever made her want to kiss his despised face more. Which is maybe why she didn't flee back through the shelves as his face loomed closer to hers, and why instead she let his teeth gently nip at her lower lip as his hands arched her back.

''Temptation has never been this sinful though,'' she whispered against his mouth before losing herself in wicked bliss.

_**AN: I know…it's been ages! Unfortunately, regular updates are pretty much out of the question until after 21st May, as my exams are coming up (and having worked for 5 years to get to Uni to study Law, these exams are taking precedence). But anyway, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter – leave me a review and let me know! Love as always…petitesorciere**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Wrath and Kindness**

_Wrath may be described as an inordinate and uncontrollable feeling of hatred and anger, whereas kindness is the ability to solve conflicts peacefully, without resorting to violence._

Hermione idly stirred the cereal in her bowl and smiled slightly. She couldn't have been further from the conversation about brooms that was going on around her, lost as she was in the blissful memories of Draco's arms around her, his cool lips touching hers, his tongue flicking across her neck. Putting a spoonful of cereal in her mouth, she chewed ruminatively. She was determined to be careful: yes, she and Draco had slept together (a blush ran over her cheeks), but that didn't mean that he was a different person. She shouldn't start investing him with all the romantic qualities that he didn't possess. She would play it cool, she would pretend that her entire body didn't thrill to his touch, she would tutor him if she needed to, she would carry on being Ron and Harry's friend and put the entire experience down to some hormonal plot that was beyond her control…

And yet, she couldn't help a smile spreading over her lips as she thought of Draco's blonde hair hanging over impassive grey eyes, of the way he gasped when she stroked him, of the way he had kissed her and helped her to her feet.

Ron looked at her. ''What are you so happy about?''

''It's a beautiful day,'' Hermione chirped, and without even thinking about it, patted Ron's cheek and exited the hall in a flurry of robes. Ron and Harry looked at each other and then up at the ceiling. It was pouring with rain.

Draco watched Hermione flutter out of the room, leaving behind a gaping, blushing Ron. He had felt an almost corrosive flood of anger as he had watched her small hand touch Weasley, and had thought in that moment that he might be capable of murder. What the hell was she doing? Didn't she know that Weasley had a crush on her? Why would she be encouraging him? And more to the point, why was Weasley still mooning over her? Hadn't he realised that Hermione was so far beyond him that it was unreal? Draco looked down at his hands and realised they were balled up into white-knuckled fists.

Standing up, he stalked out of the room. Hermione would have left to go to the potions room, to have her cauldron set up before anyone else in the class. Pushing open the door to the classroom, he watched as Hermione began pulling books out of her bag and turned to the right potion. She turned as the cool breeze from the corridor slid across her bare neck. The smile on her lips fell to nothing and Draco felt another wrench of anger. She could spare a smile for Weasley, but not for him?

But the smile was back on her lips, slightly nervous this time. ''Hi.''

''Hi.'' Draco felt the knot of anger slide back down his throat and he was able to smile properly at her. ''You're early.''

''I could say the same for you.'' Her smile was growing wider.

''You look all set up.''

''Just have to wait for the class to start now.'' She could feel her heart racing. A fire seemed to be spreading through her, blazing as his cool eyes ran over her.

''I'd say you have a spare ten minutes then.'' Draco could feel his mouth getting dry with desire. He didn't know what he was doing. He hadn't known what he was doing last night, and he was even more dazed today. All he knew was that he had had her once, and it wasn't enough. He needed to be with her again.

''But what to do with ten minutes?'' Hermione stood up, holding onto the desk for support.

''I can think of a thousand things.''

''I can think of more.'' Her eyes were glued on his, unable to pull away from the almost hypnotic stare.

''Care to show me?'' The words rolled off his tongue and into the empty space between them. Hermione listened to them, almost unable to comprehend what they meant. She watched detachedly as he stepped towards her.

Before she could properly comprehend what was happening, his arms were around her hips and as she looked at him she realised that her arms were around his neck. It wasn't clear who made the first move but then their lips were moving against each other, parting and kissing and soothing and teasing. His tongue flicked against hers and she pushed him backwards, her hand finding the handle of the potions storeroom. Opening the door, they fell through it. He pushed a box of lacewings to one side, and she moved a jar of bile to another shelf.

Without waiting a second longer, he picked her up and settled her on the shelf. Her legs crossed around his waist, hooking him closer. They both knew time was of the essence and their kisses grew stronger and more passionate. She thought her lips would bruise and had never wanted him more, as his hands roamed over her. Moving offending items of clothing out of the way, Draco moved her slightly and slid inside. Their eyes closed in bliss and then as they moved against each other, their eyes opened and they gazed at each other as the raced closer and closer to climax. And in that strange, dark, little room, filled with all manner of ugly things, they experienced one of the most beautiful and unexplainable happenings, something that had a magic that couldn't be defined by spellbooks and incantations.

Gasping, they came back down to earth. Hermione wriggled away, adjusting her clothes and smoothing her hair. She looked at Draco, unsure of what to say. His hand reached out and stroked away a stray lock of hair. She tried to resist the urge to press her face against his hand.

Draco opened his mouth to speak. What could he possibly say after that? Every time they did that they fell further and further into a chasm that he could see no way out of. Every time he felt her body pressed against him, he lost control of who he was, what he wanted, what he had ever intended to do.

Hermione turned her head and kissed the palm of his pale hand. Moving away from him, she slid out of the cupboard and walked over to her desk, sure that she would faint if she didn't sit down.

Smiling as Ron and Harry walked in, she turned to the blackboard and began to make the potion. As usual, she finished long before Harry and Ron, and had to sit at her desk, making notes from the textbook, her potion bubbling away neatly next to her.

Ron looked at his potion in despair and wandered faux-casually to Hermione. Slinging an arm around her neck, he smiled ingratiatingly down at her. Hermione looked up at him suspiciously. ''What do you want?''

''Only the help of the most amazingly talented witch in this class.'' Ron winked at her, and she couldn't help but laugh, and walk over to his desk.

Draco looked up as he heard her peals of laughter, and his eyes instantly narrowed. What the hell was Weasley playing at? More to the point, what the hell was Hermione playing at?

He watched, his own potion forgotten, as Hermione quickly sorted out Ron's potion. Ron looked tentatively into the cauldron and beamed as he saw what she had managed to do. Hugging her, he planted a flamboyant kiss on her forehead.

Draco stood up, the only thought in his mind to pummel Weasley to within an inch of his life. Forget music, that wasn't going to be satisfactory enough; he wanted to feel his fists bruising Weasley's face.

Fortunately for Ron, Slughorn chose that moment to stand up and make his rounds of the class. Draco was forced to sit behind his desk, his fists clenching and a furious rage burning in his throat, making conversation impossible.

The moment Slughorn dismissed the class, Ron and Harry were out of the door. Draco pushed past his fellow students, the swing of his bag knocking Hermione's cauldron over. Righting the cast iron structure, she watched Draco storm past her with livid eyes. Immediately she knew that there was trouble brewing and began stuffing her textbooks back into her bag as quickly as she could.

Draco pushed his way through the crowd, and felt a wash of relief. The burning rage in him was going to be vented. ''Oi! Weasley!''

Ron turned around, and his eyes narrowed as soon as he saw Draco. ''What do you want?''

''I want a lot of things but right now I'll settle for making you realise just how fucking irritating you are!'' Without further preamble, Draco's fist swung out and smashed into Ron's cheek.

Ron reeled back but spun forward and punched Draco in the stomach as hard as he could. They both staggered and, as the crowd around them drew back, drew back together, punching and hitting as hard as they could.

Hermione elbowed her way through the crowd, gasping as she saw the two of them together: the boy she had had a crush on for so long, and the man that she was sleeping with. She saw Draco draw his fist back for yet another blow, and ran forward.

Draco felt a small, warm hand wrap around his fist and slow its progress. Turning, he saw Hermione's anxious eyes in front of him: what he had been fighting for without even realising it. But the panic in those amber eyes was enough to cause the anger in him to subside. What the hell had he done?

Hermione saw the eyes abate to their usual coolness and released his hand. Walking past him, she helped Ron to his feet and grabbed Harry's arm. ''Come on, we'll go and get some Murtlap Essence.''

Replying absentmindedly to Ron's protests that he had done nothing, that Draco was an absolute psycho, Hermione realised that she knew exactly what Ron had done. He had been friendly to her, and Draco wasn't able to deal with it. Jealousy and possessiveness had made an appearance.

Later that night, she pushed open the door to the deserted classroom where they had chosen to meet. Draco sat on a desk, a cut underneath his eye. And despite all her intentions (how could she possibly be with someone so uncontrollably angry), she felt a melting of her heart and a warm rush through her.

She walked to a foot in front of him and stared at him. ''Are you still angry?''

''I can't be around you.'' He held out a hand and she hesitantly extended hers and took it. ''Every time I look at you, it calms me.''

''Why did you attack Ron?''

''I don't know. I can't think about it without getting angry again. I will tell you, when I know myself.''

Hermione felt his arms wrap around her, and despite her misgivings, knew she was safe with him. She was happy with his offer: she wasn't ready to know why he was so angry yet, because once she knew she would have to make a concrete decision. And as he kissed her, she knew that she was perfectly happy in her confused, internal conflict.

_**AN: Exams are finally over! So I have finally been able to put all these lovely little ideas I've had into stories. And today, I dragged myself away from Twilight (god, I'm completely in love with Edward Cullen – it's all good!**__**), and got this written. Hope you enjoyed it, please leave me a review because it makes me pathetically happy! And just to warn you all, the next chapter will be the last one…anyway, all my love – Petitesorciere xxx**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Greed and Charity**

_Greed, or covetousness, is an extreme desire to acquire or possess. Those afflicted by greed will do anything to get what they want and keep it. By contrast, charity is benevolence or generosity towards others. Charitable people will refrain from their own wants and desires in order to help others. Human nature is a constant battle between greed and charity, and the balance between the two is always veering back and forth. A single moment can be the deciding factor as to which one will ultimately triumph._

Hermione felt a choking lump of emotion rise up through her throat, threatening to manifest itself in floods of tears. Breathing in deeply, she tried to calm herself. There was no point, she told herself, in lying in bed crying alone. She had got herself into the mess that she was in now, and crying wasn't going to sort it out.

But despite all her efforts, a single, salty tear rolled down her cheek and splashed onto her pillow. How had she managed to get herself so confused? It had always been so black and white: Gryffindor was good, Slytherin was bad. And now kisses, and a pair of smokey eyes had left her living in a grey nightmare.

Every time she was with Harry and Ron she was thinking of Draco and the way his every touch made her thrill. Every time she was enjoying a stolen moment with Draco she was thinking of her best friends and how she was betraying them. She knew Draco's intolerable anger meant that he didn't want her around the boys and she wanted to please him. But how could she turn away her two best friends when all they wanted was to be her friend? There was no happy medium, no way of pleasing both, no sanctuary, just a constant, hopeless confusion.

Angrily wiping away the renegade tear, she turned over and determinedly told herself to go to sleep. It took another hour before she fell into a frustrated sleep where she spun between Draco's coolly passionate embraces and the warmth of a familiar, friendly love.

Draco had lain awake in bed as well, wondering how he had lost so much control. How had he gone from the predator, keen to hurt Hermione and her friends, to his current position? He had never needed companionship before, he had gone from one girl to another and then back to his solitary bed with no problem. But now, all he could think was that his bed would be infinitely better if he had Hermione in it with him. Not just to enjoy her body, but to hold her, to feel her soft breath against his cheek, to watch her sleep. Every single daydream he had of her involved a perfect world where there were no other interruptions, no other people to take her attention and affection away from him, just the two of them.

Draco had been brought up in a society where to want something was to reach out and take it. Not to do so meant that you ran the risk of losing it. And so, with a logic born of a selfish upbringing and an ingrained superiority complex, he lay in bed thinking up worlds where Hermione was his and his alone. Where he had once dreamed of dropping her and leaving her with nothing, now he dreamed of a world where he would hold her and give her himself.

Hermione sat at the breakfast table the next morning, pushing a spoon through her porridge, unable to quite make the leap from picking up the porridge to putting it in her mouth and chewing it. Ron and Harry were already discussing Quidditch, and she wondered how such a boring game could hold quite so much fascination for them.

''Hey Hermione! Do you want to come and watch us practise?''

Do I want to stand around in the cold and watch you throw a ball to each other in mid air, Hermione asked silently. No, not really. But they both looked so enthusiastic that somehow she found it in herself to dredge up a weak smile. ''I'll be there.''

That night, she watched as they tossed the Quaffle to each other and thought that on one level she probably did envy them their grace in the air, and the casual way that they held onto their brooms as they sped through the air. Then she remembered that it was far more sensible to have one's feet on the ground. Smiling wearily, she clapped as they looked at her for approval. ''Are you done now?''

They shouted something unintelligible back and then their brooms were zooming away into the advancing dusk. Deciding that they probably wouldn't miss her, she left the stands, drifting across the grounds. For a brief moment, she felt remarkably content. She had given her two best friends an evening of her time, and it had appeased the constant nagging guilt.

Just as she stepped through the main doors, she was overwhelmed by a sense of déjà vu as Draco pushed past her. She watched the grim set of his mouth and the cold glare in his eyes and felt a ripple of lust run through her. Glancing around, she spoke to his retreating back. ''Hey.''

The soft sound was enough to turn him around but the anger didn't leave his face. ''Where have you been? I've been looking for you!''

''I've been with Harry and Ron,'' Hermione answered, wondering why he was so angry.

''How can you say that so calmly?'' Hermione looked closer at him and saw some kind of betrayal mixed in with the anger. ''How can you spend time with the two people I hate most in this entire school and pretend it's nothing?''

''I'm not pretending it's nothing.'' Hermione stepped closer to him. ''Draco, they're my friends, they have been since we were eleven and they will be until I die. Nothing can change that.''

He opened his mouth but she raised a finger to his lips and continued. ''That's not to say you aren't just as important to me as they are. I didn't realise you were looking for me.'' She willed her voice to stay calm and soft, to soothe the beast in Draco's chest.

He swallowed and she watched a little of the anger recede from his eyes, leaving only a look of betrayal that was somehow worse to look at. ''Don't you understand?''

''Understand what?'' She held her small palm against his cheek, and he covered it with his own hand, pressing it to his skin.

But before he could answer, the noise of tired Quidditch players carried through the night air. He turned his head in frustration. ''Meet me at midnight, the usual place.''

Without another word, just a single yearning glance, they separated; Hermione dashing to her common room, Draco melting sinuously away into the depths of the dungeons.

Hermione fidgeted her way through the next two hours, once again the victim of crushing guilt. Where she was meant to find the balance between making her friends happy and making Draco happy?

After what seemed like centuries, she padded her way along the corridors and slid into the Room of Requirements. Draco was already standing in there, and she could see by the look on his face that he hadn't forgotten what he had been saying earlier.

''Hi.'' Her voice sounded unnaturally loud in the quiet room.

''Hi.'' He stepped forward and without further preamble kissed her. She melted into his arms, her head tipping back as his lips pressed firmly against her yielding ones. His tongue flicked across her lips as she opened her mouth and tasted him. Contentment spread across her. This was what made the permanent guilt worthwhile. When she forgot who she was and became part of him.

Without warning he broke the kiss and looked firmly down at her. ''There.''

''There what?'' She frowned at him.

''Now I'll be able to think again.'' There was a raw tone in her voice that made her desperate to soothe him. He released her and ran his fingers back through his soft hair, trying to regain his laconic cool. ''Don't you see what you're doing to me? I can't think straight, I can't sleep, I can't bear to focus on anything other than you!''

''And you think I don't feel the same?'' Hermione reached up and pulled at his face so he was looking at her. ''Everything reminds me of you, every minute of every day.''

''So why are you going around with other people?'' He stared fiercely at her.

''You mean, why am I going around with my friends? I don't know Draco, why on earth would I want to hang out with my friends?'' She stared at him, wondering what he was talking about, but knowing in her heart that it was the acerbic jealousy that she had seen in his temperament before, leading him into a path of corrosive greed and possessiveness.

''You don't understand! You don't belong to them! You're mine!'' He looked at her, unable to express himself anymore clearly. How was he meant to describe the flood of emotion that rushed through him every time he looked at her beautiful, quizzical face? How was he meant to make her see that they were meant for each other and each other alone? Desperation leant his voice a harsh wildness that he hated. He wanted his old, detached outlook on life that meant he would have been able to eloquently bring her to his side.

She looked at him coldly. ''I can't think of words to tell you everything that's wrong with that statement. Or I can, but fortunately for you I'm far too much of a lady to voice them.''

''Hermione, I…''

''I do not belong to anyone! I am my own person, and you do not have the right to tell me who I'm going to spend my time with! You think I'm not shrivelled up inside with guilt as it is? I want to spend all my time with you, just being with you, but I have friends Draco! They love me, I love them, they need me, I need them and I'm not shutting them out for you, no matter how much I might want to at times!'' She breathed deeply, trying to calm herself.

''You love them?'' His voice went icily cold. ''I think I know precisely what this is about.''

''Oh really? Because you've been hitting gold with everything else you've said tonight.''

''It's you and your precious relationship with Weasley. Can't bear to let it go, despite the fact you've got something a million times better, can you?''

''Does your ego ever get a rest? Or is it permanently boosting you up sky high? Grow up, for Merlin's sake! Ron and I are friends. Yes, I had feelings for him but they went out of the window when I began what we have!''

''And what precisely do we have?'' He sneered down at her.

''Well, you seem to think you have a contract of ownership! I personally thought we had a relationship where both parties were equal, but I can see that you clearly don't want that!'' They were shouting now, tears streaming down Hermione's face. ''What the hell do you want from me? I can't and I won't give up my friends!''

''Why not?''

''Because they're my friends! I haven't asked you to give anything up for me! I'm just giving and giving and giving and all I'm getting back is you thinking that you own me!''

''How else am I meant to make sure that I can stay with you for the rest of my life?'' Draco stepped over to her in one quick bound and took her in his arms, kissing the tears off her upturned face. ''Hermione, I can't be without you.''

She heard the sincerity in his voice and felt a crack open in her heart. ''You're not going to be without me, but you can't keep me entirely to yourself.'' She was whispering to him, willing him to see sense, to see things from her point of her view, to ease her path through the maze of treachery and tears that she had chosen.

''I can't share you. I can't bear to have everyone else looking at you and thinking that they could have even one little part of you.'' His face was fierce and he was still kissing her, her eyelids, her nose, her cheeks, her mouth. ''Just stay with me. I'll make you happier than anyone else ever could.''

''But it would be entirely on your terms Draco. You're never going to change. The only difference between the situation that we're in now and the way we were before is that now you're using every sinful, evil charm that you have to try and suck me in rather than to shut me out. I can't give up my life for someone who won't change even one little thing for me.''

''I'll change anything but just be mine, stay with me.'' He heard the begging in his voice and hated himself for it.

''I'll change anything but don't ask me to give up my life for you.'' She heard the begging in her voice and willed him to listen.

He couldn't answer and just bent to kiss her. Their lips joined and her tears joined with his. Neither of them had anymore answers and as she felt his skin brush against hers, felt him slide inside of her, Hermione felt the crack in her heart become a ravine that only Draco would ever be able to fill. And as she clutched him and lost herself in a tearful oblivion, she fancied she knew that he would never be able to move away from his sinful personality enough to heal her.

When it was over, she lay with her head on his chest while he slept, quietly sobbing into the early hours of the morning.

Draco woke the next morning and found that she had slipped away into the dark while he slept, leaving only a trail of salt from the tears that she had cried onto his chest. He sat, his face in his hands, for hours, knowing that the only thing joining them now was a broken heart, stinging from all the tears that they would cry.

And as night fell again, he picked up the ribbon from her hair that she had forgotten to pick up, and coiled it around his hand. Smelling it, he could still smell the perfume of her hair. Sliding it into his pocket, he decided to keep it as a reminder of how his pride, his envy, his wrath, his gluttony, his sloth, his lust and his greed had cost him the one pure thing in his life.

Dashing away the final tears, he left the room, his heart an empty stage with the spotlight turned off.

**AN: Don't hate me! I've spent so much time on this chapter, trying to get it perfect, and I tried a happy fluffy ending and it wasn't right at all. Having said that, I'm going to write a sequel, for those of you who love happy endings, which will be set in the future. Okey dokey, hopefully I won't be loathed for forever! I would love to know what you've thought of this story, especially everyone who's put the story on alert/favourites and then not reviewed! Thanks so much to every single person who has reviewed, and please do look at my other stories (you can get to them by clicking on my author name). Love to you all…Petitesorciere xxx **


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